Don’t stop looking for a sound that inspires you

[Larry Behm]

I have played for over 53 years. Have had many steels-amps-speakers-effects etc.

My latest amp is a Tone block 202, I am never happy with the midrange settings. I added a setting on my Zoom MS50g called a parametric EQ, this helped. (I have a Boss GE7 midrange modified coming this week)

I recently added a Quilter 15”cab with a JBL 15 to my chain, I liked it, I liked it…

I went back to my George L cables now that I have a more (round fuller)sound, it cleaned up the low end greatly.

At my gig Sunday I was like a kid in a candy store with my sound, I played better, I smiled more.

My point here-is don’t stop looking, do not settle, it is attainable, it is up to you. Remember we are in charge of the machines—-until further notice.

[Brett Day]

I've been playing steel for 26 years now and have finally found the sound that inspires me-the sound I've looked for for 26 years is the sound of steel like you hear on country records. I don't use reverb, distortion, or a lot of effects because I look for a clean steel sound. I've found it too by using a polymer bar. I'm currently running my Jackson Blackjack Custom through a Peavey Nashville 112, which has been my main amplifier for 22 years. My Jackson has a Shot Jackson pickup. Before the Jackson, I had two other steels-a 1974 Emmons GS-10 and a GFI Ultra D-10. I'm not really sure what the pickup was on the Emmons, but the GFI had two GFI-II pickups. I used a Peavey Rage 108 and Fender Champion 30 before the 112 and my Jackson guitar is nearing 16 years as my main steel.

[Skip Edwards]

Ok, so let me relate a story that somehow is relevant.
Sometimes the sound that we seek in our heads can be clouded by what we’re thinking as we’re playing.
If that makes any sense…

In 1976 I was on tour with Chris Hillman, playing steel & keys. We were opening for The Band, so we were playing venues of a certain size.
I was really unhappy with the sound I was getting out of my steel - a ’72 6139 Sho-Bud (totally stock) thru a Twin with 2 12” JBLs. (What’s not to like about that, right?)
Whatever, I was not a happy camper with the sound I was getting.

One afternoon we were in Philly, playing at the old Spectrum arena. I was walking from our dressing room out to the hall, on the way to soundcheck. The sound company (Showco, as I remember it) was ringing out the system and playing some tune…a ballad with a really nice steel playing a solo. I couldn't make out what it was at first.
I thought, “Now why doesn’t my steel sound like that? That’s the sound I like…the way i want my guitar to sound.”

You know where this is going, right?

Yep… it was us from a couple nights ago, and I was hearing my solo on Sin City.
I was dumbstruck. My guitar sounds like that? I made up with my steel, decided to keep it (still have it), and worked on my playing and my sound.

I’m not sure what the moral is to this story, or how relevant it is, but that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program…

[Donny Hinson]

Don’t stop looking for a sound that inspires you

Maybe it's just me, but I hope I never get to the point where only one sound or one tone inspires me.

To elaborate a little, at a steel guitar jam last June in Nashville, there were almost a dozen players in attendance, and with many brands featured. But I can honestly say I didn't hear a "bad sound" from any of them. Different? Yes, but not really "bad". Different tones, different amps, different sounds; variety. Take guitar players, for instance. I sometimes see them with 3, 5, 8, or even more Teles, or copies of them. If one "sound" was all they were looking for, why would they have (keep) so many? But it seems steelers aren't like that. One sound one tone, that's it.

Food for thought, anyway.

[David Wren]

So glad to read this post. Thanks to Mr. Behm, and for this, and his previous post as well. I see Skip Edwards and Donny have replied (Skip, you may know my good friend and former bandmate Larry Park, as he also toured with Chris Hillman).

All of course is fine commentary... but what I would like to see is reaction from the younger, maybe even beginning crowd of steel players. Fellows, this is your forum, use to get more familiar with your fantastic instrument.

[Rick Campbell]

Don’t stop looking for a sound that inspires you

Maybe it's just me, but I hope I never get to the point where only one sound or one tone inspires me.

To elaborate a little, at a steel guitar jam last June in Nashville, there were almost a dozen players in attendance, and with many brands featured. But I can honestly say I didn't hear a "bad sound" from any of them. Different? Yes, but not really "bad". Different tones, different amps, different sounds; variety. Take guitar players, for instance. I sometimes see them with 3, 5, 8, or even more Teles, or copies of them. If one "sound" was all they were looking for, why would they have (keep) so many? But it seems steelers aren't like that. One sound one tone, that's it.

Food for thought, anyway.

I agree 100%. Good players always sound good to me. Different, but still good. There's no magic pickups, amps, effects, etc... , I spent a lot of money over the years to teach myself that. I can sound equally bad with any setup.

RC

[Dale Rottacker]

To me "GOOD Steel Sound", falls within an envelope of sound, depending on how big that envelope is kinda determines is your sound falls into it. There are a dozen or more guitar company's and thousands of folks playing those guitars. All with different guitars/amps/effects/HANDS and ears, AND I dare say, different ideas and opinions on what "good sound" is. That can vary with me from day to day or song to song. Same guitar same settings, same process, different song, one sounds great, one sounds like a herd of cats at a rocking chair convention.

Buddy/Lloyd/John/Doug/Paul/Tom/Curly ... ALL great musicians ALL different sounds, ALL inspiring with the sounds they created.

[Andy Vance]

Oddly enough, no matter what gear I buy, what I change, or how I play, I still sound like "me", good and bad depending on the day YMMV.

[Dale Rottacker]

Oddly enough, no matter what gear I buy, what I change, or how I play, I still sound like "me", good and bad depending on the day YMMV.

You too???

[David Wren]

So, this ties in with a question my wife recently asked me,
"You only have 3 pedal steel guitars, but a room full of amps, why is that?"

I thought about it, Larry's lead post kind of touches on this.... but it seems the advances of electronics (including cables, FXs, speakers, amps-tube/class D, ect...) outpaces the physical hardware of the pedal steels. Now when I got my 1970 MSA, I was just stoked to trade in my wobbly, real road used Sho~Bud "permanent" for a D-10 I could easily change the copedant myself.... fast forward to 1996, when I got my Carter U-12 (custom built by John Fabian)... wowie-zowie... and that lasted until parts started breaking from lot's of stage time.. until the present, my 2025 Williams U-12.

Now compare that to amps; VPs; Cables; and even speakers and cabs. My studio is just jammed because it seems every 5 years or so there is so much new on the market.... and by and large each upgrade is most welcomed.

However, have I found that "one" sound I'm looking for... nope, and that's fine with me

[Dale Rottacker]

I wonder how much “our sound” changes as we age. Does our sound change or does our older diminished hearing cause us to look for something our hearing is telling us is missing. We all loose a lot of high frequencies as we age, except for the constant ringing in mine.

Our sound may actually evolve with exposure and experience, I just wonder how much of our chasing it is due to some hearing loss.

[Pete Martin]

I don’t think it is hearing loss as much as what we are looking for changes as we age.

[Donny Hinson]

Oddly enough, no matter what gear I buy, what I change, or how I play, I still sound like "me", good and bad depending on the day YMMV.

You too???

Atleast one other player agrees; and you may have heard of him? Buddy...something or other?

Over the years, I've had hundreds of players sit down at The Blade and play through my amp with my tone settings and they ended up sounding like they did on their own guitars.

[Kenny Davis]

I've made very few changes in my 54 years of playing. Changed guitar and amp only because I was getting tired of lugging a D10 and a Session 400 - That took about 42 years! My desired tone hasn't changed much all this time. If it changed at all, I've been able to accomplish what I want without much actual gear change. My first guitar was a Crossover which I promptly traded in on a Pro II. It was 30 years before I traded an amp for a Classic SS. It took another 12 years for my "downsized" guitar and amp.

My current "chain" is: Primarily a Pro I into a Hilton low-boy into a Boss DD3 (recently gifted to me) straight into a Nashville 112. I was unhappy with the Nashville until I chipped it, replaced the reverb and went to a TT-12. The Pro I and Nashville 112 was bought due to weigh savings, not looking for a better sound. I use my original Sho~Bud bar from 1971, and still use National (old) picks. I actually had to go to another pair in 1990 due to wear. Been using George L cables since 2005, and switched from Ernie Ball singles to D'Addario high carbon singles a couple of years ago. I did use a Profex II for short periods of time. My favorite setting? "Fat C6th." That may best represent how much "effects" I like to use.